Here We Go Again
by sweet.bravery
Summary: After finding out the truth about Shawn, Juliet O'Hara broke off their engagement and fled to Miami, where she returned to her old life. Years later, a mysterious teen shows up in Santa Barbara claiming that only Shawn can save Juliet.
1. A Life Unexpected

**Here We Go Again**

_So this is actually something I'd had started a while ago but forgot about it. I just rediscovered it and fixed it up a bit. I hope you enjoy it! :)_

_**Disclaimer: **__I own nothing but the season 1 and 2 DVDs_

* * *

"_Shawn Spencer, you are under arrest."_

"_God," he heard Lassiter hiss as he passed him. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this."_

_Unusually silent, Shawn didn't say a word. Instead, he searched the crowd for the one face that mattered most. The cool night air was pierced with the wails of sirens and the buzz of the onlookers, but it all seemed to fade away as he locked eyes with his fiancée, Juliet O'Hara._

"_You lied to me." She stated simply, her eyes burning with anger and betrayal but rimmed with tears._

"_Jules, listen to me." He pleaded. "I wanted to tell you. I really did. It's just that…"_

"_Enough!" she snapped. "Shawn, it's over. I never should have trusted you." And with that, she twisted the diamond engagement ring from her finger and dropped in into his palm before turning and walking away._

* * *

It had been seventeen years since Juliet left him. Ten of those years had been spent on probation and community service after he was found to be a fraud physic. He had been able to avoid a jail sentence on account of the legitimate help he had provided during his stint as the police department's "psychic consultant". But the greatest punishment of all came just minutes after the initial arrest was made, when the love of his life had ended their fairytale romance and transferred back to Miami.

It had been awhile since he tried to contact her. He often wondered if she had moved on. Gotten married? Had kids? Maybe she had gotten divorced and…no. Shawn had long since shook those thoughts from his mind and turned his attention to opening his very own smoothie bar. They had both moved on. Well, at least she had.

The door chimes rang and Shawn looked up. A few customers were beginning to wander in. Among them was a petite brunette teenager who looked slightly familiar.

"Good morning!" he greeted his customers, sauntering out of the small office space behind the counter. "Mrs. Carlson! Bran muffin and a Peach Protein, am I correct?" The older woman smiled and nodded. Shawn then did the same for the others, until he got to the girl. "Good morning" he greeted "headed off to class?"

"Not exactly; I was hoping to talk to the owner."

"Well, that would be me; but I'm sorry, we're not hiring at this time. But if smoothie blending is your passion, I would try the Jamba Juice by the mall…"

The girl gave him a quizzical look. "That's not what...okay. You're Shawn, right?" She peered at his nametag and continued. "Do you by any chance remember a Juliet O'Hara?"

Shawn's heart stopped. His cheerful face suddenly took on an unhealthy pallor. "O'Hara?"

"Yes. She used to be a cop here in Santa Barbara?"

"I knew her." Shawn looked into the girl's eyes and suddenly he realized who she reminded him of.

"Great! Because I _really _need your help…actually, we both do."

By then, more and more customers had begun to pile in. Shawn looked at the line and sighed. "I really have to get back to work, but do you think that you could come back around closing time?"

"Yeah, I'll be back."

At seven o'clock, the mysterious brunette returned. Shawn handed her a pineapple smoothie and prepared to ask the questions he had been asking himself all day long.

"Yum!" she grinned happily. "I adore pineapple! It is seriously the best fruit ever."

"Is she your mother?"

"Huh?" she looked up.

"Sorry. Let's start with introductions. I'm Shawn Spencer."

She smiled and reached out her hand. "Sierra O'Hara. It rhymes…I hate that."

"No, it's awesome. Not many names do."

"Thanks. Anyway, to answer your question, yes. Juliet is my mom." Her smile faded. "And right now she's in terrible danger."

Shawn gulped. "Wha…what do you mean?"

"She's been horribly depressed lately. I didn't know what was going on until her partner, James, filled me in. I need you to come back to Miami with me."

Suddenly, Sierra's cell phone rang. "Speak of the devil." She flipped it open. "Hey, mom. Oh yeah, California is all kinds of fun. Actually, right now, I'm in Santa Barbara." Bracing herself, she held the phone away from her ear. Shawn cringed at the sound of a loud, incoherent shouting that he was all too familiar with.

"Mom, I'm alright. Yes, I'm booking a flight right now. Uh-huh, love you, too." As she snapped her phone shut, he turned to Shawn. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." He smiled in spite of himself. "I'm kind of used to it."

"Right." She cocked her head hopefully. "So, are you in?

* * *

_So what did you think? Please review! :)_

_Thanks for reading._


	2. Reunion

**Here We Go Again**

_**Disclaimer: **I only own my lovely OC_

* * *

As soon as he saw her, Shawn's mind was flooded with a mix of memories and feelings. She hadn't aged in the seventeen years since they parted. Her blond hair was still pulled back in its usual way and she was pacing nervously. He stood still, hidden behind a potted plant. He didn't even notice Sierra standing next to him until she spoke.

"So, does she still look like she used to?"

"She's beautiful." He breathed. Suddenly, his entranced smile faded. "What am I doing? She doesn't want to see me. She probably still hates my guts."

Sierra shouldered her bag and gave him a knowing smirk. "You'd be surprised." Before Shawn could protest, she left the cover of the plant and headed towards her mom.

"Sierra Madeline O'Hara! Get over here."

"Good to see you, too."

"Don't look at me like that. You know why I'm mad." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "There are reasons why we never went back to Santa Barbara!"

"Mom, I'm seventeen. Besides, you're the one who let me go in the first place."

"I know, I know. And it's something I've been regretting ever since."

"Anyway, I brought you back a little something-or someone."

Juliet stared at her daughter, confused. Shawn took this as his cue. Stepping out of the crowd, he watched Juliet's face drop in shock.

"Hey there, Jules. What's up?"

* * *

"No." Juliet's voice was firm. "Absolutely not."

"I just thought you'd like to see each other again." Sierra explained.

"And what gave you that idea?"

"Well, for starters, did you really think I'd never looked in all of those scrapbooks of yours? He's on like every page!"

Shawn watched with mild amusement as Juliet's cheeks turned pink. "You have scrapbooks of me? Really?"

"Not just of you." She rolled her eyes. "Of Santa Barbara. Is it my fault you insisted that you be in 95% of those photos?"

"Seriously," Sierra laughed, turning to Shawn. "They're pretty hilarious. I mean, that picture of you guys going roller skating? So cute!"

"That was a long time ago." He murmured, sneaking a look at Juliet, who looked like she was about to cry- or punch something. He could never really tell. "Things changed."

"I can show them to you later," Sierra continued. "Once we get home."

"Oh, He is most certainly not staying with us." Juliet growled, breaking her silence and spinning around to face her daughter.

"Relax, Jules." Shawn sighed. He had expected this and had already took precautions. "I booked a room at a hotel."

"I was not speaking to you." She looked down. "And don't call me that."

"Look, I'm really sorry about this. I can just…"

"NO!" Sierra blurted, surprising both of them. "He came all this way. I would be rude to…"

"Fine," Juliet sighed. "Come on. But we're making a quick pit stop first."

* * *

_I know it's short, but hopefully you liked it. _

_Next up: we meet Jule's new partner, James, and Shawn finds out the truth about Sierra. :) Stay tuned and thanks for reading!_


	3. Some Big News

**Here We Go Again**

_**Disclaimer: **I is owning nothing. _

_Now on to the story!!!!_

* * *

"So this is where you work?" Shawn took a moment to look around the spacious, sunlit lobby of the Miami Police Department. It was certainly different from its Santa Barbara counterpart. After getting Shawn a guest pass, they were met by a tall, handsome blond man. Instantly, Shawn felt that he was not to be trusted.

"Julie," the man cooed. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your guest?"

"Oh, yes. Shawn, this is James, my partner. James, I'd like you meet Shawn Spencer, an old friend of mine from California."

"Well," James smiled "any friend of Julie's is a friend of mine." He turned to face Juliet. "Matherson asked if you'd finished that report yet. I covered for you but you should probably…"

"Ok, thanks. I'll be just a second." And then she was gone, her blonde ponytail disappearing as she turned the corner. As soon as she was out of sight, James' whole demeanor changed drastically.

"Well, well, well." He sneered at Sierra. "The prodigal child returns. Thought I'd gotten rid of you for sure with that trip to California. Almost convinced your mother to send you to boarding school. God knows life would be better without you here, you little…"

"Don't talk to her like that!" Shawn snapped, shielding Sierra from James' cruel gaze.

"You're one to talk, Mr. Fake Psychic. Don't think I didn't read your file." Noting Shawn's silence, he continued. "She's better off without you, you know. She has a real man now, one who can take care of her."

"You don't know anything." Shawn shot back, stepping forward angrily.

"What is going on?" Juliet asked, hurrying back from her desk.

"Nothing, Julie." James smiled sweetly, his rough and condescending manner vanishing into thin air. "I was just about to tell Shawn here the good news."

"What good news?" Shawn asked, his eyes never leaving James.

Juliet forced a smile. "James and I are getting married."

* * *

Later, as they left the police station, Shawn signaled to Sierra for them to walk a little ways behind Juliet.

"You never told me she was engaged!" he whispered.

"You never asked." she stated.

"Yeah, but, never mind. What did you mean before when you said she was in danger."

"Isn't it obvious? It's James! He's slimy, mean, and two-faced. _And _he's trying to get me sent to boarding school!"

"But what do I have to do with all this?"

"My mom loved you and I think she still kind of does. I figured that if I got you to come back to Miami with me, there would be a chance that…" her voice trailed off.

"That she'd leave James and get back with me? Wow…impressive."

"So you'll do it?" Sierra smiled hopefully.

"I don't know." He admitted. "I really messed things up with your mom. I'm just not sure if she's forgiven me."

"I understand." She nodded. "Anyway, it was really nice to finally meet you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but my mom has actually told me a lot about you. I feel like I've know you my whole life."

And strangely, Shawn felt the same way.

* * *

After he had found a cab and was on his way to the hotel, Shawn flipped open his cell phone, dialed the familiar number, and waited.

"Hey, dude. No, don't hang up! I need your help. No, I'm not in jail. Yeah, I know you said…look, it's about Juliet. She's about to marry this creep. I need to…yeah, I know. Just this once? Please?"

He let out a small sigh. "Thanks Gus, this really means a lot to me."

As his best friend continued to talk, Shawn couldn't help but let a cocky smile spread across his face. Psych was back.

* * *

_Yay! Gus is coming! lol_

_Thanks for reading! :) Please review!_

_**PS. **the title was inspired by the Demi Lovato song "Here We Go Again". Not only is Demi an amazing artist, but the song really relates to the story. So if you want, head over to youtube or somewhere and take a listen. I promise, you will not regret it ;)_


	4. Even More Big News

**Here We Go Again**

_So this is definitely not the best thing I've ever written, but it was just stuck in my head and I had to write it. _

_Plus alot of you have been asking about it, so here's your answer!_

_**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my OC's_

* * *

The clock said two-thirty AM, but Juliet was still wide awake. Grabbing her phone and slipping out on to the balcony of her apartment, Juliet took a deep, calming breath before dialing the number she had found scribbled on a piece of paper in Sierra's jeans.

On the last ring, he picked up. "Dude, seriously. I thought I told you to wait at the airport."

"Shawn?"

"Juliet? Is everything alright?" He sounded worried.

"Oh yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to apologize for how I acted today."

"It's fine. You don't have to apologize to me."

"Listen, I don't know why you're here or what Sierra told you, but it's just…I never thought I'd see you again."

"Neither did I." He murmured.

"I'm getting married soon. And you and I have a, uh, very complicated past history. When I saw you at the airport, I freaked out. I didn't know what to think."

"I'm really sorry about that. But back in Santa Barbara, Sierra said…"

"There's something you need to know about Sierra." Juliet said quickly, cutting him off. "Her father...well, he didn't…" she took another deep breath, steadying herself before blurting it out. "She's yours, Shawn. You're Sierra's father."

He was silent for a long time before asking "Does she know?"

"No, but I think it would be best if you told her. We've been going through a rough patch lately and it seems like she's already taken to you. It just seems...right."

Juliet listened as Shawn told her what Sierra had said earlier that afternoon. Her daughter had a sensitive side that rarely showed through her tough exterior._ Just like her father_, she thought with a smile.

"So we're good?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, of course. So, I guess I should let you get some sleep. You're said you're meeting someone at the airport?" _Please don't let it be a girl_, she panicked, in spite of the ring on her finger.

"Yeah, Gus is coming." Juliet hadn't realized that she'd been holding her breath until she felt herself breathe again. "There's some pharmaceutical convention in Palm Beach and he's taking a little detour down here first."

"Well have fun. I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah. See ya." He yawned.

"Hey Shawn?" she asked before he could hang up.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad I called you."

She could hear the smile in his voice as he said "Me too, Jules. Me too."

* * *

_So what do you think? I'm not too sure I'm happy with the way it turned out but whatever._

_As always, thanks for reading! :) You guys rock!_


	5. The Return of Burton Guster

**Here We Go Again**

_I've been meaning to update for a really long time, but my AP classes have left less time for this than I thought. But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere :) Plus I have all this week off for break, so expect some major updates to BOTH of my stories. In short I'm back!_

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything._

* * *

After Juliet's unexpected confession, the night flew by and soon Shawn was awakened by the Miami sun streaming in through his window. He rolled over to one side and took a deep breath, the events of the past few days running through his mind and ending with last night. _Well this certainly changes everything_, he thought. _What do I do now? _Before he could answer his own question, there was a knock on his door.

"I thought you said you were picking me up."

"I'm really sorry. I overslept." He ignored Gus' annoyed looks. "Dude, I really need to talk to you. Jules called me last night. Apparently…"

"Do you mind if I use the bathroom first? You know how I feel about airports. I need a shower."

Shawn nodded. Gus was always cranky after long trips. After a while,he'd be completely normal. Almost as soon as the door shut behind Gus, there was another knock.

"Morning." Sierra smiled at him. "I brought you breakfast!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked. He wasn't sure what else to say, especially since he now knew that she was his daughter.

"James just picked up Mom for their morning run on the beach so I thought I'd stop by the farmer's market and bring you this." She motioned to the fresh pineapple in her hand.

_Definitely my girl,_ he thought with a smile.

"Sierra, uh, there's something I need to tell you."

"Shoot."

"Ok. Well…"

"No, not that. I left the rest of the stuff in the car. I'll be back."

As soon as she turned to go, the bathroom door opened and Gus strolled out.

"Much better." Shawn noticed that a smile had returned to his face. Good as new. "So what did you need to tell me?" He nodded at Sierra. "Hello." Then he did a double take, the smile quickly fading. "Who are you?"

"Sierra O'Hara." She looked cautiously at Gus and then ran out the door.

"Shawn, why is there a girl in your hotel room? I swear, if this turns out to be some kind of illegal scheme of yours, I _will_ kill you. Besides, I thought you said that this was about Juliet."

"It is. That's her daughter. And mine, too."

Gus' hard, angry face softened into one of sympathy and concern. "Does she know?"

"No, but Jules told me that I should be the one to tell her. I was about to right before you interrupted."

"Sorry about that. Look, if there's anything you need from me, I'm here."

"Thanks buddy. That means a lot. Now let's go meet your niece!"

* * *

"Gus, meet Sierra."

"Nice to meet you. I'm sorry about earlier."

"No problem. It's nice to meet you, too. I've heard a lot about you."

Shawn noticed his friend swell with pride. "Well, Juliet was a good friend of mine…"

"Then you'll be willing to help us? My mom's about to marry this total creep and I need as much help as I can get to break them up."

"Shawn."

"She's right. That guy's a creep." Gus watched fear and determination flash through his friend's eyes. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do.

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

_Yeah, I know. Short chapter. But like I said, there will be some MAJOR updates mid-week. (Including a heartfelt moment between Shawn and Sierra that makes me happy just thinking about it)_

_As always, you guys rock! Thanks for reading._


	6. Home Sweet Home

**Here We Go Again**

Hello everyone! :) Thanks for waiting for me so patiently. I love you guys!

**Disclaimer:**_ I only own my awesome OC's. And every season of Psych on DVD ;)_

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh come on, Gus. It's not like you own the only blue Toyota in the country."

"I know that. It's just weird. Like a flashback or something."

The driver's side window rolled down, releasing a blast of cool air. "You know what's _really_ weird? My mom had this exact same reaction when I came home with the car last year. Now are you guys coming or what?"

Shawn shrugged at Gus and motioned to the door. "Age before beauty." He smirked.

Gus narrowed his eyes at Shawn, but reluctantly climbed into the backseat of the car.

"So where do we go first?" Sierra turned around in the driver's seat and looked at Shawn expectantly.

"Wait, you mean you don't already have a plan?" Gus asked.

"Mom told me about your old detective agency. I just figured you'd know what to do."

"Right." Shawn avoided Gus's eyes. "I say we start...at your house!"

"My house?" she repeated. "Why would we go to my house? We're supposed to be finding out dirt on James, right?"

"Yes and no." Shawn settled back into the seat, instantly snapping into his 'psychic detective' mode. "I like to start out every case by learning a little about the people who hired us." Gus snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's always good to have background info. Makes it a lot easier in the long-run. "

"Okay." Sierra agreed uncertainly "I guess that makes sense."

"Exactly. Then onward, Miss Daisy!"

Gus rolled his eyes. "That's not how the movie goes, Shawn."

Sierra wrinkled her nose. "Who?"

* * *

About twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a luxury high rise apartment building on the beach.

"Seems a little fancy for a cop." Gus muttered to Shawn. "How does Juliet afford this place?"

"James' family owns it." Sierra answered, punching in the code for the parking garage. "Friends and family discount, I guess."

Shawn pinched Gus's arm and shot him a look. "Sorry." Gus mouthed back. "Didn't know she had superhuman hearing."

After she parked the car, Sierra quickly led them through the gorgeous, sun-filled lobby, stopping only to check with the doorman to see if Juliet had returned. "Jeff hasn't seen Mom yet so we're good to go. Now, the elevators are over here, so…" She turned and bumped right into James himself.

"Well, hello." James smiled coldly. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here, remember?"

"Not you. I meant your friend. Shane, was it? And who's this?"

"Burton Guster." Gus reached out for a handshake but James ignored it.

"James Brickman. Juliet's fiancé."

"What do you want?" Sierra questioned impatiently. "Where's Mom?"

"On a case. I just ran by to," he glanced nervously around the lobby "check up on a few things."

"Mr. Brickman!" The doorman ran over, desperately trying to get James's attention. "I have something I need to discuss with you!"

With a final withering glare, James turned his attention to his staff member. "What is it?" he barked.

"Come on," Sierra whispered "Let's go."

* * *

"Here we are." Sierra opened the front door and flipped on the lights. "Home sweet home."

Shawn looked around and immediately took in every detail of the apartment. They had entered into a small foyer, which opened up into a spacious living room that overlooked the ocean, sparkling in the mid-morning sun. To the left was a kitchen and a small dining area. On the other side of the living room was a short hallway, leading to the two bedrooms.

The phone in the kitchen rang and Sierra ran to answer it.

"Nice place." Gus nodded, heading straight for the TV.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Shawn hissed. "You're supposed to be helping me, not watching a Mentalist marathon!"

"I'm just going to check the weather, Shawn."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be right back." He wandered around the apartment for a few minutes before eventually finding his way down the hall and into one of the bedrooms. Realizing it must be Juliet's, he turned around started to leave until he noticed a box poking out from under the bed.

Across the lid, the box was labeled 'Santa Barbara' in small, neat letters. Inside the box, he found mostly copies of transfer papers and the like littered across the top layer. All boring stuff. But soon, Shawn noticed that the old paperwork had begun to give way to all sorts of pictures and mementos. Finally, he came across a photo album he could only assume was like the one Sierra had told him about.

Sitting there, on Juliet's bedroom floor, he looked at each picture, laughing at some, reminiscing on others. Suddenly, a folded scrap of newspaper fell out from the back of the album. Shawn picked it up and smiled fondly. It was their engagement announcement in the Santa Barbara Times.

The picture had been taken on the beach, just moments after he had popped the question. They both looked ecstatic. And so in love. Shawn smiled softly to himself. After all those years of dancing around the truth, he had finally gotten up enough courage to ask her out three months before. It had been the best relationship of his life. _Maybe_, Shawn wondered, _maybe. There's still hope for us. Maybe…_

"Shawn?" Gus called, breaking his dream-like state of thought. "I think you may want to come take a look at this."

"What is it?" Shawn groaned. "I'm a little busy right now." He made his way back into the living room and over to the TV, where what he saw made his heart stop.

"We're live at the Palm Street Café, where an undercover police operation has just resulted in the shooting of a police officer. No word yet on who the officer is or what exactly happened but stay tuned to News 14 and…" Gus hit the remote and the TV went blank.

Shawn continued to stare at the screen in disbelief, thoughts shooting through his brain, all having to do with Juliet.

"Sierra? Are you okay?" Gus got up from the couch and crossed the room to Sierra, who stood motionless, the phone in her hand.

"That was the hospital." She collapsed on a chair, her eyes beginning to fill with worried tears. "My mom's there. She was shot."

* * *

_Oooooh. Cliffhanger! Anyway, I'm sorry if Shawn seems a little OOC (out of character) when he's looking at the pictures but I'm trying to show that he really does love Juliet and that he's grown alot. I mean, it has been seventeen years..._

_So yeah, read&review :) please&thankyou? _


	7. Aftermath

**Here We Go Again**

_And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs**_

* * *

The hospital was already a flurry of activity when Sierra, Shawn, and Gus arrived. News crews and curious spectators alike all clamored to see what was going on. As soon as the car came to a stop, Sierra threw open her door and made a mad dash for the entrance. Shawn followed. Together, they pushed through the crowd and made it inside the hospital and upstairs to Juliet's room.

"I'm sorry, but you can't go in there!" A nurse flew across the hallway, grabbing Sierra by the sleeve.

"It's alright. She's with me." A tall, red-headed woman rounded the corner. "You can go on in." The woman smiled at Sierra. Then, noting the anxious look on the girl's face, she put her arm around Sierra's shoulder and gave a little squeeze. "She'll be fine."

"Thanks, chief." Sierra smiled briefly and then turned to Shawn before disappearing around the corner. "I'll be back." Shawn nodded and tried to smile encouragingly.

"So you're him, eh?"

"Excuse me?"

"Maggie Flynn, Juliet's boss," she and Shawn shook hands "and her best friend." she added, laughing at Shawn's suddenly nervous look. "We grew up together. I'll admit, I never thought I see her again when she left for Santa Barbara, so you can imagine how shocked I was when she showed up at my door seventeen years ago," she paused, looking Shawn squarely in the eyes "pregnant and alone."

"Hey, I had no idea that Jules was pregnant!" Shawn started. "If I knew, I never would have…"

Maggie held up her hand, signaling for him to stop talking. "Look around. No one's blaming you, Shawn. You didn't know. Things like this happen all the time. All I'm saying is that you need to make this right."

"I'm trying to. But how? What am I supposed to do?"

"Be a family." Maggie stated simply.

"Hello? She's getting married!"

"I know that. But did it ever occur to you that it might be to the wrong person? You can change that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a press conference." She turned and started down the hallway.

"What are you talking about?" Shawn called after her. "I'm not a real psychic, you know! I can't read your mind."

Without stopping, Maggie called over her shoulder "You'll figure it out." And then she disappeared into an elevator.

"She wants to talk to you."

Shawn looked around. Sierra was standing next to him. Her eyes were still red, but their usual spark had returned.

"Is she…?"

"She's fine." Sierra sniffed and offered a small laugh "Thank god for bullet-proof vests, right? She's pretty beat up, but she's going to be out of here by tomorrow." A relieved smile slipped across her face.

"Good, good." Shawn ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"Anyway, she wants to talk to you, so…"

"Yeah, of course. I'll be out in a second."

"Alright, I'm going to find Gus." She turned and took off down the hallway.

As soon as she'd gone, Shawn walked over to the door of Juliet's hospital room. He took a deep breath to calm himself. _Here goes nothing_, he thought.

* * *

"You need to tell her. Soon." Juliet was sitting up in the bed; her blonde hair was down and fell around her shoulders in loose waves. Her left arm was bandaged in a cast and resting in a sling.

Shawn took a few steps closer to the bed. "What? Jules, it's been one day! I need a little more time to, you know, get used to the fact that I actually have a kid!"

"I understand the shock, but what if I had died? What would have happened? She needs to know."

"Yeah, I know." He looked down sheepishly. "So…I met Maggie."

"She must have given you hell." Juliet laughed. "She's the first person I went to when I came back here. She's Sierra's godmother, you know."

Shawn was uncharacteristically silent for a few moments before deciding to change the subject. He gestured to her arm. "Wanna fill me in on what happened?"

"It was the weirdest thing." Juliet shook her head. "It started out being just your ordinary undercover surveillance, you know? But then, I don't know, it was like the guy I was supposed to be trailing knew exactly what was going on. I've never seen anything like it."

"That is weird." Shawn agreed "So who is this guy?"

"His real name is Alec Hurst. He's a drug smuggler. Pretty common around here, but he's harder to…honestly, it's like he knows our every move. James is supposed to be tracking down this guy's business contacts, but he hasn't had much luck. We've started calling him The Phantom."

Shawn's cell phone rang. It was Gus. "Dude, where are you? It's getting pretty crazy down here. We need to go."

"Alright, I'm almost done here. Just hold on." He hung up and apologized to Juliet. "Sorry, but I gotta…"

"Yeah," She nodded "I'll see you later. Oh, and Shawn? Please tell her."

"As soon as I can. I promise."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Shawn. This means a lot to me."

* * *

It took a minute, but Shawn finally located Sierra's car (and Gus) in the crowded parking lot, but Sierra was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Sierra?"

"She came running by here a while ago saying something about the beach. She looked really upset, Shawn. What's going on?"

"I need to talk to her. Wait here, I'll be back in a bit."

Gus watched, concerned, as Shawn took off down the sidewalk and across the street to the nearest visible bit of beach. He shook his head. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Shawn instantly spotted Sierra. She was standing by the ocean, so close to the water that the waves had begun to lap at her converse.

"There you are." He called, coming up behind her. She didn't respond. "Hey," he came to a stop by her side "Are you okay?"

"You're my dad, aren't you?"

Sierra turned to face him, and Shawn got a closer glimpse of her eyes, the sunlight illuminating them, making them shine. They were so blue, so much like her mother's. He stared into them for the longest time, mustering up all the strength he had, before nodding solemnly.

"Yes."

She was silent for a while and Shawn closed his eyes. He started to wonder if he had made a mistake. Maybe it was wrong to come here. Was he actually doing more harm than good by disrupting the O'Hara's lives like this? He was about to apologize when he heard Sierra give a shout.

"I knew it!"

His eyes flew open and rested on Sierra's now overjoyed grin.

"God, how could I have been so blind? Of course you're my dad. I mean, why else would mom have kept so much stuff about you? You saw those boxes, right? Oh my god." She suddenly stopped talking and stared, grinning, at Shawn before wrapping her arms around his neck, fresh tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "It's you. You're really here."

Shawn closed his eyes and focused on his daughter. He forgot everything else and allowed himself to stay in the moment, tears of his own beginning to form. And sitting there on that deserted stretch of Miami beach, for the first time in seventeen years, Shawn felt hope.

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**So did you love it? Hate it? Couldn't care less? Let me know- review.**

**As always, thank you so much for reading! :)**


	8. A Moment In Time

**Here We Go Again**

_All I have to say is that I am so, so, so sorry for making you all wait this long for an update!_

_I know this one is short, but it's super sweet, and it symbolizes me getting back into this fic, which means that updates are going to be a lot more frequent from now on._

_I love and appreciate you all!_

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC's**

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_Eleven years earlier…_

"Mommy, I don't want to go to school."

It was Friday morning. Juliet gazed across the kitchen, where she was just finishing making their lunches for the day and let her eyes rest on her clearly upset six-year old daughter. Sierra looked perfectly fine; her brown hair was fixed in two neat braids and her red and blue-striped dress only _slightly_ clashed with the bright green rain boots she adamantly refused to take off.

"What do you mean you don't want to go? The other day you told me that school was your favorite."

Sierra's little eyes narrowed in frustration. "I hate it."

"What did I tell you about that word?" Juliet finished spreading grape jelly on bread and dropped the knife in the sink before making her way over to the couch where her daughter sat.

"That it's a mean word, and not to use it."

"Exactly." Having made it to the couch, she plopped down next to her daughter and gathered her tiny body in her arms. Now that she was close enough, Juliet could see tears rimming her daughter's eyes, threatening to spill over. "Why do you not want to go to school?"

"The kids are mean and they make fun of me."

Juliet felt her back stiffen as her maternal, protective instincts took over. "What do you mean? What do they say?"

Sierra buried her head in her mother's lap and mumbled something unintelligible.

"You have to speak up, sweetie." Juliet sighed, picking Sierra up by the arms and bringing her in for a hug. "Tell me again."

"They make fun of me because I don't have a Daddy."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Juliet felt as if she had just been punched in the gut. She knew she'd have to deal with it someday, but a small part of her had thought that, just maybe, she'd be able to put it off for a few more years.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Where is my Daddy?"

Juliet looked at her daughter for a long moment, taking in everything about her. There was so much in this little person that was Shawn- her brown hair, animated facial expressions, and obsession with pineapple, for instance. That was all him. Even her middle name- Madeline, Shawn's mother's name- was chosen to tie Sierra to a family she would probably never get the chance to know, a life she would never get to live. Suddenly, it was very clear what needed to be done- what _Shawn_ would have done.

"You know what, bug? Go put your pajamas back on while I call your teacher. We're going to start the weekend a little early today."

Sierra's eyes lit up. "What are we gonna do?"

"Well," Juliet lifted her off the couch and set her down to stand on the floor. "I thought we might make some pancakes..."

"With pineapple?"

"Yes, lots of pineapple." Juliet sighed wistfully and brushed a stray lock of hair from her daughter's face. "And then I have a special story to tell you."

"A story? About what?"

"You'll have to wait and see." She reached across the coffee table for her cell phone to call Mrs. Royce, Sierra's kindergarten teacher, and after that, Maggie. "But I'm pretty sure you're going to love it."

"Yay!" Sierra clapped and planted a kiss on Juliet's cheek before skipping off to her room.

It was time for Sierra O'Hara to learn about her Daddy.


End file.
